Danny Masterson Reportedly Told Wilmer Valderrama To Make ‘Wise Choices’

They were known to be great friends well after the finale of That ’70s Show. Fans are wondering what Wilmer Valderrama’s reaction to Danny Masterson‘s sentencing is.

Valderrama played Fez alongside Masterson on the popular sitcom That 70s Show, which ran for eight seasons, from August 1998 to May 2006. The show also starred Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher who sent along letters of support to reduce Masterson’s sentencing which was met with a lot of backlash.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, free and confidential help is available. Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.

Masterson was accused in March 2017 of raping three women in separate incidents between 2001 and 2003 when That 70’s Show was still on air. He was charged in 2020. The actor, who played Stephen Hyde, pleaded not guilty to all three charges in 2021 and went on trial, though it was declared a mistrial in December 2022 after the jury was deadlocked, i.e., they couldn’t unanimously agree on whether to convict him for the third rape.

The three women who claimed Masterson assaulted them through the Church of Scientology met with journalist Tony Ortega. He posted the allegations as he claimed that one victim approached former Scientologist Leah Remini and told her what allegedly happened. The woman was then advised to file a police report by Remini, according to Ortega.

“I met with the LAPD. I met with Detective Reyes [of the robbery-homicide division, who was assigned the case], and I told her these victims deserve to be heard,” Remini told Ortega at the time. “I asked her to do the right thing by these girls, and I told her that the world is watching.”

Masterson’s rep issued a statement to Us Weekly denying all claims of sexual assault that same month. “We are aware of [the victim]’s 16-year-old allegations. It was only after [the victim] was in contact with Leah Remini that she made allegations of sexual assault by Mr. Masterson,” the rep said at the time. “The alleged incident occurred in the middle of their six-year relationship, after which she continued to be his longtime girlfriend.” The accusers claimed that Masterson and the church engaged in stalking, physical invasion of privacy and conspiracy to obstruct justice after the women reported their allegations against the New York native to the Los Angeles Police Department in 2016 and 2017.

In September 2022, Masterson was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo issued an assessment of Masterson before she dispatched him to prison. “Mr. Masterson, I know that you’re sitting here steadfast in your claims of innocence and thus no doubt feeling victimized by a justice system that has failed you,” she said, per NBC News. “But Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here.”

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said he applauded the women for “coming forward and participating in this process,” adding that he hoped it encouraged others to come forward about instances of abuse in Hollywood. “My hope is that this sentence will somehow bring them peace and that their bravery will be an example to others,” he said. “One of my top priorities is to ensure that Los Angeles will no longer be a hunting ground for Hollywood elite who feel entitled to prey on women.” 

Shawn Holley, a lawyer for Masterson, told reporters outside the courtroom that she was “very disappointed” in the sentence, noting that a team of lawyers had reviewed the case and found “a number of significant evidentiary and constitutional issues” that they planned to use in appeals. “Though we have great respect for the jury, and for our system of justice, sometimes they get it wrong — and that’s what happened here,” Holley said, noting that Masterson maintains his innocence.

So how did Wilmer Valderrama react to Danny Masterson’s case? Read more to find out.